March 25, 2024
Sea of Dust:
The Contamination Series, Book 1
Alex Kay
Aviva Publishing (2023)
ISBN: 978-1636183190
New Dystopian Novel Keeps Reader Guessing to Very End
Alex Kay’s Sea of Dust is the first novel in an exciting new science fiction series. The main character, Damian Hirsch, is a young man about to begin training for his new career in Infrenus. Infrenus and its sister country, Vitis, were once one country that split in two for reasons Damian and most, if not all, people no longer remember. No one is even sure about the specifics of why their world is full of crumbling buildings or how the air became so toxic and full of haze that they need to wear haz-suits for their own protection.
Despite these flaws in his world, Damian is looking forward to a career as an eco-technologist so he can help to make his world more livable once again. But Damian is in for a rude surprise when an emergency order is given that all graduates will, instead of following their chosen career fields, be forced to become protectorates, members of Infrenus’ military. The reason for this severe decision isn’t clear at first, but not long after Damian begins training, the training headquarters are attacked by insurgents looking to overthrow Infrenus’ government. Damian soon becomes aware of how many people are unhappy with the status quo in Infrenus. Then he realizes the insurgents are fighting for the very thing he wants—to create a better Infrenus—and he finds himself forced into making some difficult decisions about which side to be on.
Readers of Sea of Dust will be unable to stop reading as Damian begins to question everything he thought was true and finds himself torn between his loyalty to his friends and what he believes is right. When he discovers one of the people closest to him has been leading a secret life, he is catapulted into new revelations about the world around him. As the story develops, author Alex Kay keeps the reader constantly questioning, anticipating, and yet being stunned by the turns the plot takes.
The world of Infrenus is so real that you can feel the dust everywhere, feel your eyes burning from the haze, feel the pounding in Damian’s chest as he meets inexplicable creatures who have somehow survived the toxic atmosphere, and perhaps most of all, feel the emotional intensity Damian undergoes with each new shocking revelation.
But it’s not all horrific experiences for Damian or the reader. The novel has magical moments of awe, such as when Damian sees a tree for the first time, and flashbacks to happier times like when Damian’s mother used to sing him a lullaby. Poignant scenes are interspersed with chaotic ones to provide an adrenaline rush, then a feeling of catharsis. Readers will see everything through Damian’s eyes, and in the end, cheer him on regardless of whether he is a hero or a traitor to Infrenus.
Alex Kay proves himself an exciting newcomer to the science fiction genre. Sea of Dust is as dramatic and well-executed as The Hunger Games series, its dystopian world as fully realized as Orwell’s 1984 and Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale. It also reminds me of I Am Legend, but with a full cast of characters in a decaying world, and it has as many shocking secrets from the past to be revealed as Planet of the Apes. In short, it is a powerhouse of a tale not to be missed.
Best of all, Sea of Dust is only the first novel in the series. Enticingly, the next book will not be a sequel but a paraquel, revealing the events that were happening in neighboring Vitis during the time Damian was having his experiences in Infrenus.
Rarely has a science fiction novel enthralled me like Sea of Dust. I cannot wait to read all the books in the series. If you want to lose yourself in a gripping tale, you can’t go wrong with this book.
For more information about Sea of Dust and Alex Kay, visit www.Amazon.com.
— Tyler R. Tichelaar, PhD and award-winning author of Arthur’s Legacy and Melusine’s Gift
